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An angel on the internet
What a wonderful sweet thing to do.
Nina needed a warm jacket so bad, and this one is perfect, it also has a padded hood that keeps her head & ears warm, With the rest of the certificate, I purchased clippers, grooming lotion, brush, and her favorite treats, Pup~Peroni, And have enough left to buy her 4 more bags. She is in heaven *smile*
I have tried to find out how to thank you in person, but they would not tell me. So I hope you see this page again and know that Nina absolutely loves her jacket. When it is time to go out she gets it and brings it to me and is so excited.
THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart, and may God Bless you for your kindness
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Modeling the new Parka that was purchased with the gift certificate from her "Secret Admirer", who saw this page and thought she deserved it because she is so special
She IS!
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It's All About Nina
To go to the beginning.
A dear friend of mine wanted to get her children a poodle for Christmas, since they loved my poodle Heather so much. Heather was very obedient, loved kids and even thought she was a kid, I'm sure. She would go down the slide at the playground, ride skateboards, Loved to be pushed in a buggy or ride in the basket on my bike. She was a therapy dog who loved to visit nursing homes, hospital wards, and schools
"Sam" and I went to check out Nina, She passed the puppy temperament tests, so home she came with us, since it was before Christmas, it was decided that Nina would stay with me until Christmas, so the "gift" would be a surprise.
When we came in with her, Heather immediately took her under her "wings", Sissy (rescue chihuahua)was another story, she was jealous at first of the attention that Heather was giving Nina, and would growl when Nina came near.
Soon it was just to much temptation to join in the play. That was the start of a friendship like no other.
Since Nina was so tiny, I would baby sit, the friendships grew, with Heather teaching Nina to be caring and gentle, and Sissy teaching her to be nutty and a general PITA at times
Time went on, with Nina staying with us often because of the families busy schedules. At times Nina was confused, she loved both homes and it was hard for her to decide where she wanted to be.
Then Heather passed away suddenly of a heart attack at 16 1/2. Sissy and I were devastated, I had lost my close companion that had traveled the country, and been through so much with me. Sissy had lost the mother that had brought her back from near death at the hands of her previous owner who had beaten her to the point of brain damage and loss of sight in one eye, then had left her to die.
Sissy became so depressed that I thought I would lose her too.
I "borrowed" Nina to try to bring her out of it. When Nina was around, Sissy would start eating and came out of it a bit. Nina took over Heathers job of mothering Sissy, even though she was so much younger.
Then came the incident that brought Nina permanently into our home
I was working in my front yard weeding the flower beds with my back to the opening in the hedges in front. I had Sissy inside with a child gate across the door.
As I was told later by a neighbor, A woman walking a Malamute on an extending leash allowed the dog to enter my yard and it was starting toward me. I did not see it, but Sissy became alarmed and jumped the gate, The dog was only about 6 feet from me when Sissy trying to protect me ran in front of it snapping to keep it away.
What happened then can only be described as the most vicious attack I have ever seen.
The malamute grabbed Sissy and shook her violently, threw her to the ground then grabbed her again, repeating over and over as it took her back out to the sidewalk.
I was screaming, the woman was doing nothing to stop her dog. I managed to get to them and just as the dog had again thrown Sissy to the sidewalk, I grabbed her. The dog bit me hard, then grabbed Sissy's head and started pulling, I had to release to keep it from breaking her neck, but I hit it as hard as I could in the nose causing it to release Sissy and stop the attack. I think I did some serious damage. The woman took off.
I don't think anyone thought Sissy would make it through, she was in bad shape with puncture marks all over her body including her belly. She was in shock.
She spent the night at the vets office, and "Sam" let me keep Nina overnight to help me stay calm by keeping me company. Surprisingly Sissy made it through the night. Because of seizures if she was away from me or upset, I went to bring her home to try to nurse her here. Nina went with us, when she saw Sissy, her motherly instincts took over and her whole attention was on Sissy, washing her face gently. Sissy immediately relaxed.
It was so obvious that the two had a tight bond and dearly loved each other, and separation was hard on them, so it was decided that Nina would become a permanent part of our family
Over the next couple weeks Nina never left Sissy's side. She mothered Sissy just as Heather had mothered her when we had found her almost dead.
The bond tightened. And over the years following strengthened even more.
The two of them together made a team that was a joy to watch.
I would be working in my basement office and hear what sounded like a herd of elephants stampeding through the house, the two of them running and barking like mad. Seeing them in the yard was the funniest scene as they ran through and around the flower beds and bushes. Once in awhile jumping on the bench on the fish pool and sliding across to land in the water.
One of their favorite things was stealing the toilet paper and by the time they were done the whole house would be covered with it. Nina was so good at getting it no matter where I put it, that her balancing act, while stealing it, could have been a star attraction at the circus
Sadly it all came to an end when Sissy at about 16 1/2, was passing the front door and a man very loudly knocked on the door. The sudden noise startled Sissy so bad she went into severe seizures. Nina was devastated and went into her mother mode. Sissy eventually stopped having the seizures but she never recovered her health, slowly declining and lost her eyesight and hearing completely. Nina became her guide and mother. Taking Sissy out to "potty" and bringing her back in when time. Not even to eat would Nina leave her side. Till one day Sissy quietly passed away with Nina beside her washing her face down as Sissy loved for her to do.
Nina was lost, I became worried about losing her also.
I spent as much time as I could trying to bring her out of it, and finally managed to get her to play ball one afternoon. Prior to this Nina loved to go get it, but wanted someone to chase her to get it back. Due to my injuries I couldn't do that. I quietly told Nina she had to bring it to me and put my hands down. I was amazed when she brought it to me and put it in my hands, and I praised her. We played for at least an hour with her bringing it back and putting it right in my hands
She then decided that she belonged next to me wherever I was. The next day we again went into the yard to play ball.
Then the next day as she laid beside me I was getting out my card case and dropped it. Picking up off the floor is almost impossible for me, and extremely painful. Surprisingly Nina jumped off the chair and picked up the case. Afraid she would start chewing it and damaging my card, I put my hands down and asked her to "give it to me" She put it in my hand! I was so thrilled that I really praised her. She got happy and wiggly.
I wondered at that time if just maybe she could be trained to be a service dog even though she is 6 years old, with very little basic training.
I dropped it again and asked her to get it. She responded immediately and it was obvious she was enjoying it
I could not believe my good luck, because a service dog had been recommended, but was so expensive, and with Sissy being so jealous, I just could not do it at that time.
Nina and I started our "game". I would drop various objects and she caught on quickly to picking them up and handing them to me. She loved it and would want to play it several times a day. She followed me around just waiting for me to drop something. If it was awkward or heavy she worked at it to figure out how to do it. She now picks up such things as porcelain figurines, paperback books and my notepad, magnifying glass, credit and business cards, keys, and a whole range of other items. Only the very heavy will stop her from giving it to me, but she still tries.
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1st row: pocket magnifier, bottle, keys
2nd row: book, bottle, picking up brush
3rd row: brush, tissues, slipper, book
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She now picks up all coins clear down to a dime & picks up safety pins
Nina giving me a quarter I dropped |
She brings me my shoes when asked. And helps me clean house by picking up any little bits of paper that will not go in the vacuum
UPDATE: She now brings me my shoes in the morning without my asking, and brings me her leash when it's "time for some fresh air"
I started with the basic training that she had not had. She quickly learned sit and stay. She hates to "Lay" but will do it with her ears drooping.
Then we started on her putting the items in my lap. As usual, it took only a couple times, till she learned to get up and put them in my lap
When I straighten the house she follows me waiting for me to point to something that needs picked up, then happily does so, only for the praise she receives for it
Nina has obviously decided that I am the one she needs to take care of. The silly nutcase that was her main personality before, only comes out now when neighborhood kids come to visit. She goes crazy running around the yard, showing off for them. But one thing I noticed is that she constantly has an eye on me and will run to check on me several times during her play.
The joy of her life now is going for a ride on the new scooter I purchased to enable me to get out a bit more
Click here to see photos of Nina and the scooter All I have to do is get the keys for the garage, or tell her to bring me her leash (yes she has learned that now) and her eyes light up like Christmas bulbs I feel like I am the luckiest person in the world to have had so many wonderful furbabies, and now to not only have a wonderful companion but one who has brought me so much fantastic help when I need it.
She is not only a companion, but now is my partner and "mother"
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